As parents it is always a challenge to find time to focus on relationship and each other without the kids being present. We try to do at least one date night per month, although not always successfully. Often we end up going out for dinner or drinks and we don’t always have the energy to come up with something different to do. Many times it is enough to be able to get out of the house without any kids in tow.

Recently we had the opportunity to check out SupperWorks in Orleans and make some food together. Making dinner at home is usually a mix of hiding out in the kitchen while we make food as quickly as possible to feed the hangry kids and fending off those same kids foraging for snacks in the kitchen.

Food From Scratch vs. Packaged Food

We have three kids and only one of them reliably will eat what we make for dinner. We make a menu for every week before we go grocery shopping and the middle child decides which nights she will eat what we are making and what nights she wants an alternate meal. The youngest is entirely unpredictable and she picks which of the available foods made for dinner that night she is going to eat. This is not my ideal dinner world, but it is what we have arrived at that results in less stress and fighting related to food.

Our weekly menu consists of a mix of prepackaged frozen foods and foods we make from scratch or some version of that. Sometimes we have leftovers, but often we don’t make enough to have the same meal twice in one week. It would often be a pointless exercise since what they like one night they will hate another night.

Make Your Own Prepackaged Meals

While I get satisfaction making food from scratch, I also get frustration that I can’t make it fast enough to stave off hungry children. At SupperWorks you can use their commercial kitchen, their recipes and their prepared ingredients to make a week worth of food in an hour or so. Each month the menu varies and you choose the meals you would like to make. The kitchen is set up in different stations for each meal. When you arrive you’ll find all of the ingredients for your meal at your station along with the recipes. The ingredients, mixed sauces, etc. are all bundled into a bag for each meal with cooking instructions which you can take home and toss in your freezer.

Give a Gift, Take Your Kids or Date Night

SupperWorks opportunities:

Give a gift certificate to expectant parents so they can fill their freezer before their child is born

Take your kids or go with friends to make food. It is easy for kids to follow the recipes and measure out the prepared ingredients. *Bonus – they don’t make a mess of your kitchen at home

Go with your partner to spend some time making food peacefully together as a date night

Healthy Food Made Easy

We had a great time at SupperWorks and they made it so easy to put together healthy meals for our family that were convenient to cook. SupperWorks has locations in eastern and southwestern Ontario. Check them out and fill your freezer!